Safety belt system

ABSTRACT

A safety belt system using a bendable cable section having a self-sustaining shape and a flexible strap section. The cable section is fixed on one side of the seat for positioning at the side of the occupant of the seat. The flexible strap section is fixed at the other side of the seat for extending across the seat and the occupant. Fastening means connected to the free ends of the cable and belt are provided for attaching the end of the belt to the cable at the one side of the occupant.

United States Patent Gilmore Aug. 27, 1974 [54] SAFETY BELT SYSTEM3,307,343 3//l967 gillmore et al 57/145X 3,345,456 [0 1967 57 145 [75]Inventor: wllllam Gllmore Mamto Beach 3.234.722 2/l966 57/145 Mlch-3,667,206 6/1972 Gilmore 57/139 Assigneez American & Cable C p y,3,7l7,987 Gilmore X Inc., New York, NY. Primary ExaminerDonald E.Watkins [22] filed May 1973 Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Pennie & Edmonds[21] App]. N0.: 365,540

Related US. Application Data [57] ABSTRACT [62] 2223 A safety beltsystem using a bendable cable section having a self-sustaining shape anda flexible strap section. The cable section is fixed on one side of theseat (SI. for positioning at the Side of the occupant of the seat [58]Field 139 14 Th flexible Strap section is fixed at the other side of 1466 the seat for extending across the seat and the occupant. Fasteningmeans connected to the free ends of the cable and belt are provided forattaching the end [56] g gszf g gg of the belt to the cable at the oneside of the occupant. l.970,702 8/1934 Kuney 57/145 X 3.092956 6/1963Naysmith 57/145 6 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures SAFETY BELT SYSTEM This is adivision of application Ser. No. 203,685,.

filed Dec. 1, 1971, and now US. Pat. No. 3,785,701.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Todays automobiles are provided withpassenger seat belts as a standard safety item. Most typically, theseseat belts are comprised of two strap sections fixed to the framework ofthe car. The ends of the strap sections are adapted to be brought acrossthe occupants waist and connected together through means of a bucklemechanism. The straps are constructed of flexible fabric material whilethe buckle mechanism includes a housing part fixed to one strap and intowhich a flat metal coupling member, fixed to the other strap, is adaptedto be inserted. The buckle mechanism automatically couples the strapsections together upon insertion of the coupling member into thehousing. The housing is also provided with some type of releasemechanism to permit uncoupling of the straps.

With presently constructed safety belts, the operator is required to useboth hands in coupling the strap sections together. For a passenger inthe car, this presents no problem. However, the same is not true withrespect to the driver. Quite frequently the driver starts driving beforeattaching the safety belt around his waist. Obviously, the driversattention to his driving is necessarily distracted while he firstlocates the ends of the two strap sections. This possibly can be donewith one hand at a time by feeling for the strap sections; and in someconstructions, the strap sections are adapted to automatically wind upwhen not in use so that their location is known. In order to couple thestrap sections together, however, it is necessary that the driver useboth hands. Therefore, he must momentarily take his hands off the wheelof the car. The dangers involved in doing this are apparent.

With presently available seat belts, the difficulties discussed aboveare generally due to the fact that the strap sections are made offlexible material and will not stay in position for coupling togetherunless held by the operator. The flexibility is, however, required inorder that the belts may be adjusted for different sized occupants.Also, seat belts must be adjustable for different positionings of thedrivers seat. In all of todays automobiles, the drivers seat isadjustable so that it can move forward and backward to accommodateoccupants of different heights. In addition, some seats can be adjustedvertically. The farther forward the seat or the higher its positioning,the greater the length of seat belt required. Conversely, when the seatis moved back and lowered, a lesser length is required to fit snuglyabout the occupant. In addition, in automobiles which have the benchtype of seat, the strap section to the right of the driver must passbetween the bottom and back portions of the seat. This also requiresthat this section of the seat belt be flexible to accommodate differentpositionings of the seat.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION ing it to a coupling member, the location ofwhich is known but adjustable to accommodate different seatpositionings.

With applicants safety belt system, the section to the right of thedriver is a flexible cable structure having a bendable, yetself-sustaining shape; that is, the cable can be bent to accommodatedifferent positionings of the seat; and at the same time, its free endto which the coupling member is attached can be placed at the side ofthe occupant and will remain there until purposely moved to a differentlocation. Thus, in effect, the coupling member remains stationary forpurposes of coupling to the other section of the safety belt.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing theorientation of the sections of the safety belt system relative to theoccupants position on the seat;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the location of the cablesection of the safety belt system relative to a bench seat;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary side view, partially broken away, of the cablestructure used in applicants seat belt system; and

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along lines 4 of FIG. 3. v

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The belt system of the presentinvention generally in- .cludes two sections. The first is a beltsection 1 constructed of a conventional fabric strap material 2 whilethe second is a cable section 3 constructed of a bendable cablestructure 4. The belt system is particularly useful for the driversposition in an automobile although it may of course be used for thepassenger seats. Where used for the driver, the cable 4 is located tothe right of the driver while the flexible strap 2 is located at thedrivers left. A suitable automatic rewinding mechanism 5 may be providedfor winding the belt neatly at the drivers left side when not in use.The drivers location is represented schematically in FIG. 1 by referencenumeral 6.

Both sections of the belt system are fixed to the framework of the carby suitable connectors 7 and 8. The flexible cable 4 extends only ashort distance on the right side of the drivers location. In FIG. 2, thecable is shown as extending up to slightly above the level of the bottomportion of the seat. FIG. 2 also shows how the cable is routed betweenthe bottom and the back portions of a bench type seat.

A fastening means in the form of a buckle mechanism 9 is fixed to thefree end of the cable 4. This buckle mechanism is of conventionalconstruction and is generally comprised of a housing having an opening9' into which a coupling member 10, fixed to the flexible strap 2, isadapted to be inserted. Insertion of the coupling member automaticallyeffects a connection of the belt sections. A release mechanism, notshown, is provided in the buckle housing so that the connection can bequickly released by pushing a button 11 or by some other suitable means.

From FIGS. 1 and 2 it will be noted that the cable section 3 of the beltsystem will not extend across the occupant of the seat. It will insteadonly extend to the occupants side. The belt section 2 is howeverconstructed with sufficient length so that it may be brought about theoccupants waist and connected to the cable section on the occupantsright side. Although the belt section 2 shown in FIG. 1 includes asingle strap adapted to be connected across the occupants waist, thissection could also include a shoulder harness strap having its endconnected with the strap 2 to the coupling member 10.

With the belt system of the present invention the driver need only graspthe belt section 2, bring it across his body and connect it to thebuckle 9 of the cable section. In accordance with the teachings of thisinvention, this buckle will be at a location known to the driver and hewill not have to use his other hand to find it or to hold it whilemaking the connection. The cable has sufficient rigidity to hold thebuckle in position while the coupling member is inserted and aconnection made. In addition, the cable section of the belt is flexibleenough so that it may be properly routed under the back portion of theseat for any positioning of the seat.

FIGS. 3 and 4 show the presently preferred construction of the cablesection of the belt. It is comprised of a 7 X 19 galvanized steelaircraft cable 12 made up of helically wound strands. The strands are,in turn, constructed of wires of round cross-sectional shape. The cablehas a military specification: MIL C 1511. The wound diameter of thecable is nominally 7/32 of an inch. This actually measures 0.228 inch.

The cable 12 is helically wrapped with an outer armored covering wire13. This covering wire has a flat cross-sectional shape with a width of0.125 inch and a thickness of 0.025 inch. In the preferred construction,this wire is made of steel having a tensile strength of about 150,000p.s.i. The flat wire is generally softer 7 than the wires of the cable.As shown in FIG. 3, a slight spacing is provided between theconvolutions. This spacing is 0.030 inch. The approximate outsidediameter of the armored cable structure is 0.282 inch.

To complete the construction of the cable section of the belt, athermoplastic sheath 14 is placed over the armored wire 13. Thisprovides a protective covering for this section and enhances itsappearance.

After the cable is wound and the armored covering wire applied andbefore the plastic sheath is applied, the entire structure is compactedby feeding through a conventional rotary swaging machine. The compactingof the structure is controlled so that the individual wires of the cableare not appreciably deformed. That is, these wires retain their circularcross-sectional shape although the strands are deformed as shown in FIG.2. The compacting is also sufficient to deform the flat wire. Moreparticularly, its inner surface is deformed to generally conform to theouter shape of the cable 12. This deformation is clearly shown in FIG.4. The compacting of the armored cable structure reduces its diameterfrom 0.282 inch to 0.255 inch.

The degree to which the cable structure is compacted is critical. Withlittle or no compacting, the cable will be flexible but will not retaina bent shape. When the bending force is removed, the cable will flexback to its original position. If, on the other hand, the compacting isexcessive, the cable structure will, in effect, act like a rod and notbe bendable as a cable. By compacting to a degree producing thedeformation shown in FIG.

4, the frictional coaction between the individual wires of the cable andbetween the wires of the cable with the armored covering wire will holdthe cable structure in a bent configuration. Thus, the resultingstructure will be flexible enough to bend to permit routing through theseat of the automobile and it will also retain this configuration untilchanged by the occupant. In addition, the buckle 9 can be positioned ata desired location and will remain stationary while the other section ofthe safety belt is connected by inserting the coupling member 10 intothe buckle 9.

I claim:

1. A formable cable structure comprising:

a. a cable constructed of a plurality of helically wrapped wires ofpredetermined cross-sectional shape;

b. a covering wire helically wrapped about said cable with clearancebetween the helical convolutions thereof;

c. said covering wire being wrapped uniformly substantially the entirelength of said cable;

d. Said cable structure being a compacted structure with the wires ofthe cable having said predetermined cross-sectional shape and thecovering wire deformed with the inside surface thereof conforming to theouter contour of said cable; and

e. said structure being compacted sufficiently for allowing said cableto be bent into a desired configuration and for sustaining the cable insaid configuration until changed.

2. A formable cable according to claim 1 wherein:

a. said cable is comprised of a plurality of helically wrapped strands;and

b. each strand is comprised of wires of round cross- I sectional shape.

3. A formable cable according to claim 2 wherein:

a. the covering wire of said cable structure is flat in cross-section.

4. A formable cable according to claim 3 wherein:

a. said cable is constructed of galvanized steel wires;

and

b. said covering wire is constructed of steel softer than said wires.

5. A formable cable according to claim 4 wherein said cable structureincludes a 7 X 19 cable.

6. A formable cable structure comprising:

a. a 7 X 19 cable constructed of a plurality of helically wrapped wiresof predetermined crosssectional shape with a total uncompacted diameterof 0.228 inch;

b. a flat covering wire helically wrapped about said cable withclearance between the helical convolutions thereof, said flat wire has awidth of 0.l25 inch and thickness of 0.025 inch with a spacing betweenconvolutions of 0.030 inch; and

c. said cable structure being a compacted structure with an outsidediameter of 0.255 inch and with the wires of the cable having saidpredetermined crosssectional shape and the covering wire deformed withthe inside surface thereof conforming to the outer contour of saidcable.

1. A formable cable structure comprising: a. a cable constructed of aplurality of helically wrapped wires of predetermined cross-sectionalshape; b. a covering wire helically wrapped about said cable withclearance between the helical convolutions thereof; c. said coveringwire being wrapped uniformly substantially the entire length of saidcable; d. Said cable structure being a compacted structure with thewires of the cable having said predetermined cross-sectional shape andthe covering wire deformed with the inside surface thereof conforming tothe outer contour of said cable; and e. said structure being compactedsufficiently for allowing said cable to be bent into a desiredconfiguration and for sustaining the cable in said configuration untilchanged.
 2. A formable cable according to claim 1 wherein: a. said cableis comprised of a plurality of helically wrapped strands; and b. eachstrand is comprised of wires of round cross-sectional shape.
 3. Aformable cable according to claim 2 wherein: a. the covering wire ofsaid cable structure is flat in cross-section.
 4. A formable cableaccording to claim 3 wherein: a. said cable is constructed of galvanizedsteel wires; and b. said covering wire is constructed of steel softerthan said wires.
 5. A formable cable according to claim 4 wherein saidcable structure includes a 7 X 19 cable.
 6. A formable cable structurecomprising: a. a 7 X 19 cable constructed of a plurality of helicallywrapped wires of predetermined cross-sectional shape with a totaluncompacted diameter of 0.228 inch; b. a flat covering wire helicallywrapped about said cable with clearance between the helical convolutionsthereof, said flat wire has a width of 0.125 inch and thickness of 0.025inch with a spacing between convolutions of 0.030 inch; and c. saidcable structure being a compacted structure with an outside diameter of0.255 inch and with the wires of the cable having said predeterminedcross-sectional shape and the covering wire deformed with the insidesurface thereof conforming to the outer contour of said cable.